Uganda’s Information Minister, Chris Baryomunsi has condemned a military raid on opposition leader, Bobi Wine’s home last month.
He said the popstar-turned-politician had not committed any crime and was free to return there.
Wine has been in hiding for weeks after fleeing his home in the capital, Kampala, hours before he was announced the runner-up to President Yoweri Museveni in the January 15th presidential election.
On January 24th, Wine said his wife had been taken to hospital after soldiers invaded their residence, alleging that they partially undressed and choked her.
Uganda’s military chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also Museveni’s son, denied solders assaulted Wine’s wife, but later said on X that they had “captured and then released” her.
Baryomunsi, who is also a spokesperson for the government, said the authorities would investigate the incident.
“We do not condone any acts of indiscipline on the side of the army and security forces,” he said in an interview. “So invading his (Wine’s) home, causing damage, assaulting his wife, or anybody, is wrong.”
He declined to say if security personnel would face any penalties if they were found to have violated the law.
A spokesperson for Wine’s National Unity Platform party did not respond to calls or messages requesting comment.
Kainerugaba had stated on social media posts that the military was looking for Wine, who had rejected the election results, alleging fraud.
The army chief has not said why they are looking for Wine or what crime he may be charged with.
Rights groups and the opposition have long accused the government of Museveni, who has been in power for four decades, of using the military to suppress dissent, accusations the government denies.
Baryomunsi also said that Uganda had no plans to withdraw its military contingent from an African Union mission to fight militants in Somalia, contradicting recent comments from Kainerugaba, who last week threatened in a post on X to pull troops out of Somalia over financing issues.
Kainerugaba has a history of controversial social media posts that he later deleted.
He once threatened to behead Wine and also boasted the military had killed 30 opposition supporters.
Baryomunsi said Kainerugaba’s posts should be taken as “casual comments that do not reflect state policy and state decisions.”
Africanews/Hauwa M.